Without a doubt, the 2010 Division I National Championship game between Butler University and Duke University was one of the best title games in the recent past, and arguably, in the history of the tournament. Coming down to the wire, an intentional Duke miss from the free throw line gave Butler’s Gordon Hayward a chance at a game-WINNING three-point shot from half-court that nearly found the bottom of the net. Duke won the game, 61-59, in a match-up between two very talented teams playing their best basketball of the season.
The reason Duke was playing at such a high level was because of the incredible outside shooting of their “big 3”; Kyle Singler, Jon Scheyer, and Nolan Smith. All three players were at the top of their games, and the shooting rhythm they displayed was an illustration of what jump shots are supposed to look like: smooth, efficient, and consistent.
Many around the country, while tuning in for the basketball game, saw President Obama put his own jump shot on display at halftime, with a game of H-O-R-S-E against CBS’s Clark Kellogg. The President was down early, but managed to come back and steal victory from the hands of Kellogg by converting on some long-range jumpers in the White House backyard.
Mr. President, we at Aim High Hoops are well aware that you are in the hottest seat in the world already, by the nature of your job, and the criticism comes early and often for you on a daily basis. However, we would not be doing our jobs as citizens if we did not offer some constructive criticism on your shooting mechanics!
We’ll keep it simple: you are shooting across your body! When you get tired, or are not in rhythm, you will have a tough time keeping your shot on line with the basket. In the basketball training videos that we offer, teaching players how to keep the ball on line with the basket is one of our core principals….and essential to successful shooting.
This advice comes at no charge, Mr. President. However, we would gladly accept a tax break on our first return next year!
Billy Lewis & Jonathan Schneiderman
Aim High Hoops, Inc.